Backflow Testing in Cary, NC

Signs it's time to deal with your backflow assembly

• A yearly test reminder for your irrigation device has shown up
• The assembly near the meter box is weeping, spraying or has a cracked body
• Sprinkler zones lost pressure right after a freeze
• You're putting in a new irrigation system on Cary water
• The last test came back as a fail and the device needs parts
• You moved into a house with sprinklers and have no record of past tests

How Cary runs its cross-connection program

Any customer on Town of Cary water who has irrigation, including customers who live outside town limits, has to have a backflow device on that irrigation line. Devices are usually set at or near the meter box. Each one is inspected at installation and then tested once a year by a certified tester the Town recognizes.

One detail worth knowing before you call anyone: Cary lets residential customers choose to have a Town-hired contractor perform the annual test. If all you need is the routine yearly check and you've opted into that, you may not need to book a tester at all. Where a local plumber earns the call is everything around it: rebuilding or replacing a device that failed, fixing freeze damage, relocating an assembly, or installing one on a new system.

Ownership matters here too. Cary generally owns the pipe from the main to the meter, and the property owner owns everything from the meter to the house. An irrigation backflow assembly sits on your side, so repairs to it are yours to arrange. Cary also runs a reclaimed water system for some irrigation, and that reclaimed supply must never be joined to drinking water plumbing.

What drives the cost

• Test, repair or replacement. A passing test is the shortest visit; a rebuild with new checks and seals takes longer.
• Assembly size and style. Larger or reduced pressure units have more internal parts.
• Freeze damage. A split body usually means a new assembly instead of a rebuild.
• Access. Devices buried in shrubs or set low in a box add labor.
• Permits. New or relocated installs may need a plumbing permit from Cary Inspections and Permits.

When you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Cary. Tell them whether you need a test, a repair after a failed test, or a new device, and mention if you've opted into the Town's contractor program so no one duplicates the yearly test. If an assembly is spraying, close the irrigation shutoff or the main valve before the plumber arrives.